fire starters and wet rags

I lay awake last night for a long time, thinking about the different types of people in my life. The ones who have come and gone. The friendships shared and sustained, and the ones that have fallen by the wayside, usually purely because of distance or lack of common ground. Then I thought about the people who have made a difference in my life. I visualised their faces and thought of their importance to me. Some of them I realised sadly, I have never even told how much a part they have played in my life so far.

I am one of those people who has always had a lot of ideas, too many ideas to deal with most of the time.. with me the ideas are free. Making them happen though, is always a bit more difficult and I am learning as I get older to just let some of them go.. realising they were just that, great ideas. I have big highs and big lows, sometimes all in one day. But, the people I love most in my life are the ones who have proven over time, to be my fire starters. The ones who support my ideas, who fan my flame.

These are the people who; despite the impracticability of some of my plans, despite my heart being too often on my sleeve (too soon) and despite my timing being wrong sometimes (because of my excitement). Love me anyway. These are the guys who tell me what I need to hear, at that very moment I need to hear it. They know that I will generally figure out myself when something isn’t going to work, or when I am wasting my time, or when I am being eaten up and spat out. And they never say I am crazy.

My fire starters love me anyway, they encourage me to keep going when I think I need to get a day job or I feel like giving up. They are patient when I talk too much or when I walk away because there are no words left to express my disappointment about some failed thing. Got to love those fire starters.

Then, there are the wet rags, the ones who I dare not share my heart with. The ones who I know won’t understand or care what I think. The ones who looked down on me years ago, when even I knew I had a long way to go. The wet rags, who aren’t living their own dreams and don’t want you to live yours. The ones who criticise you when you succeed and who criticise you when you fail. The ones who can take your ideas and flatten them with a word, or a look. I am learning to pick these guys out more quickly these days. Learning to put my heart back in my chest while they are around. You all know the kind I am talking about, I can see some of them parade across my mind. I only wish I had been smarter at the time, so I could have seen them for what they were. Wishing that I hadn’t cared so much what they thought about me. But, in a way, the wet rags helped flame the fire in my heart, they fanned my determination to be different, to prove them wrong. So, they also played their parts in shaping me, some almost as much as the fire starters.

So, to you my lovely loyal fire starters.. I am going to make sure I thank you this week… and the wet rags… not even worth thinking about.. My life is what it is, I am who I am… and I am glad for maturity, and the discernment and clarity it seems to bring me. I have struggled in times past to fit and conform and its nice to not care anymore. And this is a reminder really, to myself as well as to you, to uplift those around you, (especially the ones who are close to you). Be an encourager and one of those people who seeks to find the good in others. Start fires with your words.

p.s I would love to know what you think… who are your fire starters, past and present??.. (my husband is my no 1 champion, my fire starter in residence), (and in more ways than one :))

p.s.s My dad’s words ring in my head here, so I have to share them with you.. I heard them many times growing up,, they are from the bible, “the power of life and death is in the tongue”.. (thanks dad!)

And another thing, the link below is to a TED talk I really enjoyed, which kind of ties in with this post… Its only 6 minutes and its awesome!!